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August 3, 2016
| Volume 6, Number 49
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This Sunday's Lections
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
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Carolyn Riley Baker (1945-2016)
 The Diocese of Georgia mourns the loss of Carolyn Baker who died this morning, Wednesday, August 3, after a lengthy battle with cancer. An active communicant of St. Andrew's, Darien, Carolyn came into the Episcopal Church through that parish 16 years ago. During that time, she served on the vestry and chaired their food pantry ministry for ten years. She also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children, as a member of the Glynn County Rape Crisis Center, the McIntosh County Family Connection and the McIntosh County Victim's Assistance Program. In 2013, the Deacons of the Diocese of Georgia honored her with the Deacons Award in recognition of her service to the community.
A delegate to multiple diocesan conventions, Carolyn also served as President of the diocesan Episcopal Church Women and in that capacity took part in the Diocesan Council. She represented the Diocese of Georgia at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2012 and 2015.
Originally from Wichita, Kansas, Carolyn worked for Delta Airlines for more than 30 years. She had one step-daughter with her husband of more than 40 years, Winn Baker.
Visitation will be held at Edo Miller Funeral Home in Brunswick, Friday, August 5th from 6-8 pm. The funeral will be held at St. Andrew's, Darien at 11 am Saturday, August 6th with internment to follow at Palmetto Cemetery, Brunswick.
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Mourning the First Female Vestry Member
 The Diocese of Georgia Mourns the loss of Carolyn Aubrey Humphries. On her 1968 election to the vestry at St. Paul's, Augusta, Humphries became the first woman to serve on a vestry in the history of the Diocese of Georgia. Born in Waynesboro, PA, she moved to Georgia after her marriage to Dr. Arthur Humphries. A graduate of Sweet Briar College, she was passionate about historic preservation and became the first Executive Director of Historic Augusta. While in Augusta, she was a co-founder of the Richmond County Home Health Agency, the first non-profit home health service in Georgia. The Humphries had four children and five great grandchildren. She died in Savannah on July 26 at the age of 88. St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Augusta, will hold her burial service this Saturday, August 6, at 11:00 am.
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Diocesan Office Update
Bishop Benhase will ordain Deacon Jonathan Tuttle to the Sacred Order of Priests, this Saturday, August 6 at 10 am at St. John and St. Mark's, Albany, and on Sunday will make his visitation to Holy Spirit, Dawson. He is otherwise on sabbatical through August 23.
Canon Logue will preside and preach this Sunday at Trinity, Statesboro. Anna Iredale began her first week as Director of Communications for the Diocese. Please add her address [email protected] to your parish email list.
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Diocesan Community Update
 The Rev. Dave Johnson, Rector of Christ Church, Valdosta, has hired Philip Ryan to serve as a lay Assistant to the Rector. Together with his wife Amanda and their daughter Greta, he is be moving into Louttit Hall on August 26. He will officially begin on September 1. Philip has extensive ministry experience, having completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies and Languages at Evangel University, his Master of Arts degree in Exegetical Theology at Covenant Theological Seminary, and his Master of Theology degree at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Bishop Benhase is licensing Ryan as a Licensed Lay Preacher and a Licensed Lay Eucharistic Minister. Johnson said, "Here at Christ Church he will be working on developing our college and youth ministries, further developing our local outreach efforts, and doing some preaching and teaching as well. I ask you to join us in warmly welcoming Philip, Amanda, and Greta into our Christ Church family!"
 The Very Rev. Joan Kilian, Rector of Trinity, Statesboro, has hired Josh McMains as Youth Missioner. Josh spent his childhood at Trinity. He is a recent graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in Psychology, and he is pursuing a Masters in Psychology at Georgia Southern University, where he has a teaching assistantship. Kilian said, "Josh brings a wealth of experience as a youth and church leader to Trinity. For the last four years, he has been a counselor at Honey Creek (an institution that he is passionate about!), and he is just wrapping up a job with the Oconee County Parks and Recreation Department working with elementary aged children." He started work on August 1.
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Acolyte Festival Registration Closes Monday
 Monday, August 8 is the final day for participants to register for the Acolyte & Youth Leadership Festival (AYLF) which will be held August 13-14 at St. Thomas' Isle of Hope, 2 St. Thomas' Avenue, Savannah, Georgia 31406. Third through 12th graders are welcome to attend. Participants should bring their own vestments (labeled with a church name or participant's name) and their home church's banner, which will be processed during the 10 am Sunday morning Eucharist at St. Thomas' Isle of Hope. Check in starts at 10 am on August 13 and the weekend concludes with a Sunday Eucharist, ending at approximately 11:30 am on the 14th. Those picking up acolytes are encouraged to attend the closing 10 am Eucharist. The cost is $40 and includes three meals, a t-shirt, and other event costs. Scholarships are available on request.
For general questions, please contact St. Thomas' Christian Education and Youth Minister, and the event coordinator, Misty Graham at [email protected]. For scholarship requests, please contact the Diocesan Missioner for Youth, the Rev. Joshua Varner at [email protected].
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Honey Creek
Register for Upcoming Retreats
Honey Creek will host the following five conferences and retreats for adults this fall. We have gathered the links here to ease registration:
Fall Prayer Retreat - September 23-24
 The Rev. Liam Collins is teaming up again with Canon Frank and Victoria Logue to offer the Fall Prayer Retreat which will meet September 23 at 5 pm and conclude by 2 pm on the 24th. The rates for the conference, including three meals, are: Lodge 1 Single: $144, Lodge 1 Double: $99.50, Lodge 2 Single: $133, Lodge 2 Double: $94, Cottage: $90, and Campers and Commuters: $64. Click here to register online for the retreat
Fall Clergy Conference - September 25-26
 The Fall Clergy Conference will meet Sunday evening, September 25 through lunch on Tuesday, September 27. The conference presenter will be the Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple, Bishop Pro Tem of the Diocese of North Carolina who will share how to effectively engage young adults through hands-on ministry in our communities. In addition to working in parish ministry, Bishop Hodges-Copple was the Episcopal Chaplain to Duke University for more than a decade. The Fall Clergy Conference will also offer a time for the deacons and priests of the Diocese to hear from Bishop Benhase following this summer's sabbatical and to reflect together on what is next for the Diocese of Georgia. Cursillo - October 6-9  Cursillo (pronounced 'kur-see-yo') is a Spanish word meaning 'little' or 'short course'. Cursillo begins on a Thursday evening and ends the following Sunday evening. During those three days the participants engage in listening to talks given by priests and lay people, and small table discussion, while worshiping and playing together. The priests, who are the spiritual advisors for the weekend, and the lay people who make up the Cursillo team spend weeks working and praying together in preparation. The 'after' activity of the three-day Cursillo weekend is often called the 'Fourth Day', which is the rest of your life. A Cursillo weekend's main purpose is to provide the tools for that daily Christian living. The cost is $90. To register for Cursillo, use the application online here: Register for Cursillo Integrity Georgia Fall Retreat - October 28-29
National Integrity President Bruce Garner will facilitate Integrity Georgia's Fall Retreat which will meet October 28-29 at Honey Creek Retreat Center. The retreat starts Friday evening at 5 pm and ends Saturday at 12 noon. Cost for lodging, three meals and the social reception is $118 for a single in Lodge 2; $129 for a single in the renovated Lodge 1 rooms; a double room is $79 per person in Lodge 2, and $84.50 per person in Lodge 1. Commuter rate is $49. Call Carolyn at Honey Creek to arrange to arrive early or stay later (912) 265-9218. For questions about Integrity Georgia, contact Clayton Gagne-Thomas (912) 655-6986 or [email protected]. Click here to register online for the Integrity Georgia Retreat
Women's Retreat - November 4-6
 Do you want to develop a deeper, more intimate relationship with Jesus? St. Elizabeth's, Richmond Hill, invites the women of the Diocese to a Women's Retreat at Honey Creek on November 4-6. Lee Ann Rummell of Christian Healing Ministries in Jacksonville, Florida, will lead the retreat on Living in Freedom and Wholeness. The retreat will start that Friday afternoon and concludes with lunch on Sunday. The all inclusive cost for a room in our renovated Lodge 1 is Single Room $258; Double $169; and in Lodge 2 Single Room $236; and Double $158. A $20 registration fee is due by October 19. Call or email Emily Hubbard to secure your place (912) 856-7902 or [email protected]. Make deposit checks payable to "St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church" and mail to: Emily Hubbard, 227 McDuffie Drive, Richmond Hill, GA 31324. Register online with Honey Creek
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Register Now for CreekFEST
 CreekFEST, October 21-22, will showcase the fellowship, beauty, and spirituality at Honey Creek. The Honey Creek Commission recognized that the Diocesan "parish hall" is often used for specific Diocesan ministries and programs and they wanted to provide a chance to gather everyone together for fun and fellowship.
So, join in on the fun with your fellow brothers and sisters from across the Diocese of Georgia. We have many activities planned including silent/live auctions, a 5K run, field day events and a square dance. Grab your partners, pick your teammates and register today!
Register Online
We have an online registration site to help you prepare and pay to attend. Please visit the site. Participants choose a team captain (at least 21 years old or older). Pick your teammates. You may have no more than eight (8) team members. Choose your team name! Get creative with this one. You do not all have to register together. When registering be sure to include the team name for each person on your team.
A guide and directions for how to register can be found here. A $25 deposit fee is required for each person to register. Be sure to follow the directions closely, as the new system can sometimes be confusing. If you are registering children to attend with you, make sure to select their lodging as All Youth 18 and Under and select "Youth (sharing room or campsite with parent/guardian)." The directions provide screen shots of each step. However, the general breakdown of the event costs include:
Registration and Meals
Adult: $78; Child (3-8 yrs old): $56; Volunteer: $43; Child of Volunteer: $21.50
Lodging
Lodge 1: $178 ($89 p/p double occupancy)
Lodge 2: $156 ($78 p/p double occupancy)
Dorm Lodging: $44, Camping- $18
Commuter: $18, Volunteer Dorm: Free
Would you like to volunteer?
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED! If you would like to take part in the CreekFEST activities but do not wish to join a team, please consider lending a hand. Reach out to Jay Lacy and then register online as a volunteer.
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National Church Seeks Delegates for UN Commission
Applications are being accepted for a provincial delegate and up to 20 church-wide delegates to represent the Episcopal Church at the 61st Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in New York City, NY, March 13-24, 2017. The provincial delegate and the church-wide delegates will be able to attend the official UNCSW proceedings at the United Nations and will represent the Episcopal Church/Anglican Communion in their advocacy at the UN, including joint advocacy with the group Ecumenical Women.
The 2017 UNCSW Priority Theme is "Women's economic empowerment in the changing world of work" and the Review Theme is "Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls (agreed conclusions of the fifty-eighth session)". See more here.
Applications are open to an adult or youth (ages 14-19), woman or man, who can speak to the Priority or Review Theme and are willing to participate in advocacy at UNSCW. Youth must be accompanied by an adult chaperone.
Applicants should have a relevant role at the parish, diocesan and/or provincial level, be accountable to a diocesan or provincial authority, and have a process for reporting back to the local community after participating in UNCSW.
Delegates will be expected to be present in New York City for the UNSCW meeting between March 10 and 24 or as close to the entire stay as possible. Delegates will be responsible for their own travel, housing and program expenses.
Following a review of the applications, the delegates will be chosen by Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. All applicants will be notified by mid-October.
The application is available here. Deadline is September 16. For more information contact Lynnaia Main, Episcopal Church Global Relations Officer, [email protected].
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The Administrator's Corner
A Refresher on Clergy Pension Benefits
The Church Pension Fund administers the Clergy Pension Plan for The Episcopal Church. CPF provides pensions and related benefits for Episcopal clergy, their eligible surviving spouses or other named beneficiaries, and eligible dependent children. As mandated by the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church, CPF collects payments (called assessments) from qualified employers of eligible clergy to provide these benefits. Clergy who receive $200 a month for three consecutive months, all qualify for pension contributions from their "employers."
Formulas for calculations of pension benefits can be located in the enrollment form alongside the directions.
How to enroll?
If you change parishes, please submit a new assignment notice to notify and change billing information.
Changes in salary?
You can also make direct changes to your bill form.
General questions?
A complete guide to the clergy pension fund can be found here:
Billing questions?
Please contact CPG's hotline at (866) 802-6333.
Special Note: Changes are coming to the Clergy Pension Plan in 2018. CPG has distributed invitations to webinars for more information. Please anticipate further details from the Diocese in a future Administrator's Corner.
Next Up: Lay Pensions
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Smiling participants of the Vacation Bible School at St. Athanasius' in Brunswick show their certificates. Craft time during the VBS at St. Athanasius' can be seen below.
Vacation Bible Schools around the Diocese
 School is getting back in session across the Diocese. If you have pictures we have yet to share, please send photos or a link to your congregation's photo album online to [email protected]. The photos will be added to a VBS album and linked to the diocesan website. . While some of the photos have run in From the Field the online album has 3-4 from every VBS that submitted photos.
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Upcoming Gospel
What Good Is Common Sense?
A Reflection on the Gospel, Luke 12:32-40 for August 7th
by the Rev. David Somerville
 Jeanie Greenough's 1902 Daybook, A Year of Beautiful Thoughts has been out of print since the 1920's. And yet much of it remains just as useful as it ever was. She writes, "I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but [at least] I can do something." After reading that, while feeling rather discouraged about the state of our nation's democracy, I made a modest donation to a good organization that shares my concerns. A neighbor of mine said "David, you just wasted some good money! Common Sense will tell you it ain't gonna make an impact. I know what I'm gonna do on Election Day - Stay home and watch a Netflix movie." Was that a good idea? I don't think so. I still have the gift of life, reasonable health, and personal freedom. So does my neighbor. I should do something - even if, like the servants in next Sunday's gospel, it means doing just my very small part with persistence. I could take time for an inventory of my resources by asking "Are all of them helpful to me, or have I become a servant to their needs for storage with mothballs? Would some of the stuff I have be more useful to others?" Even before I finished asking myself that, I realized that I have a shortage of closet space. Unused clothes could go to our Goodwill collection point less than a mile from my house! This is just one thing, Dear Reader, that comes to mind when I pause for a moment over the words, "Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near...." Oh my goodness: Insight! I could cross the mothballs off my shopping list too! Keeping lit the lamp of a prayer and meditation life serves two purposes: It makes visible the world of needs with its opportunities for ministry beyond the self. The light is also a harbor beacon to show hospitality over the dark waters of an environment of people made unkind from their anxious life in it. The gospel's bridegroom in the night, we must remember, has told us that the light in our hearts is what he is looking for. I believe that this is the message suggested by the unknown time of the master's return from his wedding feast.
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Prayers for Weekly Liturgies
Our one-year prayer cycle combines prayers for every congregation in the Diocese of Georgia with prayers for our ecumenical partners and for our Companion Diocese of The Dominican Republic. The 52 weekly prayers are available in one document: http://gaepiscopal.org/docs/oneyearprayercycle.pdf Prayers for July 31-August 6
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation on St. Simons Island, Christ Church and Holy Nativity. We also pray for our ecumenical partners on the island, especially Lord of Life Lutheran Church and St. William's Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for The Church of the Nativity (La Natividad) Salcedo.
Prayers for August 7-13 In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation on Jekyll Island, St. Richard of Chichester. We also pray for our ecumenical partners on the island, especially Jekyll Island Methodist Church and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Bartholomew (San Bartolom�) in San Crist�bal.
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Blessing Backpacks
The Rev. Canon Dedra Bell-Woski and Deacon Carlene Taylor with two from the pile of backpacks filled with supplies that Christ Church, St. Mary's, blessed and donated to students in need at Woodbine Elementary School.
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so we can feature them in upcoming issues of From the Field.
Sincerely,
Diocesan Staff
Episcopal Diocese of Georgia
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